Building Student Teamwork with the Student Geo-Challenge
Publication: Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education & Practice
Volume 138, Issue 1
Abstract
Teamwork is an essential part of engineering practice. The Geo-Challenge is a teambuilding competition for civil engineering students, and both teambuilding and competition are useful for preparing students for engineering practice. while university education focuses on technical skills taught in the classroom environment, very little emphasis is placed on teamwork, even though the need to foster teamwork skills within the future engineering work force is recognized. Extramural student competitions can supplement classroom teaching and are effective in providing these essential skills. This paper describes three Geo-Challenge competitions and their effectiveness in building student teamwork. The background and competition details are provided. Competing students were given postcompetition surveys, and a statistical review of the results shows the goals of the Geo-Challenge were met. Those goals, along with other lessons learned, are discussed.
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Acknowledgments
The writers thank the following for financial assistance in making the Geo-Challenge a success year after year: Association of Drilled Shaft Contractors, Carmeuse Industrial Sands, Inc., Colbond, Fugro Consultants, GI, Geosyntec Consultants, Golder Associates, Jean Louis and Janet Briaud, Langan Engineering, and the North American Geosynthetics Society. The writers thank the volunteers who served on the steering committees or as judges, including Barbara Luke, Mary Roth, Bob Gilbert, John Bowders, Andrew Heydinger, Rami Sherbiny, Paul Cosentino, Scott Olsen, Randy Losch, Aaron Budge, William (Bill) Kitch, Carol Bowers, Lauren Tighe, Giovanna Biscontin, Zan Bates, and Aries Cunningham.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education & Practice
Volume 138 • Issue 1 • January 2012
Pages: 14 - 20
Copyright
© 2012 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Apr 8, 2010
Accepted: Apr 27, 2011
Published online: Dec 15, 2011
Published in print: Jan 1, 2012
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